Update Coming

Sorry for the inconvenience I don't have a review yet this week. I will have one up by the end of this weekend. -Thanks, Craig.

Jeremiah Johnson (1972)

Heres the movie trailer, but it does contain spoilers in my opinion so I suggest the second one.
Original Trailer
Teaser

If you watched either of the trailer you should have found out the plot behind this movie very quickly. Jeremiah Johnson (played by Robert Redford) is a mountain man. Jeremiah Johnson was really a mountain man and Robert Redford was also a pallbearer at his relocating funeral, just an interesting fact to know.

Jeremiah Johnson is a mountain man who was formerly a soldier in the civil war, I beleive he was a Yankee due to the color of his military trousers but it was never pointed out which side he was on during the course of the film. He moves up into the mountain to get away from people and find peace. He soon finds out its not as easy as he thought to be mountain man. He has absolutely no experience with the type of conditions the mountain throws at him. The mountains have their own way. He soon runs out of food store and so he trys to head further up the mountain to find some other kind of game to kill. As he does he comes across a body where he gets his new gun and shoots himself a deer! Dinner finally comes to the table. The movie is basically about Jeremiah's evolution into the mountain man he is know for being. It's an a great experience and I envy Jeremiah for being such an awesome legend. I would love to seperate myself from society and learn how to exist basically out of nothing and learn to completely rely on God and myself without all the material possessions of the day.

The pro's and con's of this film, well there aren't many con's in my opinion but I suppose if there is one, that would be that after watching it the first time, you may get bored quite easily because its just the kind of flick for a rainy day or after a long hard day of work. But really, its just an awesome chill movie, you can just watch it a million times, or just have it on in the background while doing other things, so in a way this con is a pro!

Like I said before the scenery in this movie is awesome, it was filmed in the alps of Utah which if that doesn't sound awesome just look up some photo's on google or something and I think you'll see what I'm talking about.

The second pro of this movie is the fact of the originality it has for a western. I mean mountain man makes sense for a western, but it hasn't been done a whole lot. I honestly can't think of another movie about mountain men, except for maybe a part of Seraphim Falls

Robert Redford does an awesome job, his role in this film made me like him as an actor. It was actually the first film I ever saw him in but none the less it made me like him. He also plays in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Which is another good western!

Theres just so much good in this movie, the dialogue and the character development of Jeremiah. The awesome fight scenes between Indians and the comedic side as well. Some of the things that are said in this movie cracked me up, especially Jeremiahs conversation with Del Gue (played by Stefan Gierasch).

All in all this movie owns serious face. And it is one of my favorite all time westerns. So I rank it with a 5 out of 5. Enjoy!

Here's the torrent file: Jeremiah Johnson

The Undefeated (1969)

I grew up watching westerns, if you hadn't already guessed as much. This particular one I had not watched as much until maybe i turned 17 and I really liked it. Now that i'm 3 years older I still like it but I can see where someone who is not as big of a fan of John Wayne westerns might not enjoy this one for the same reasons I do. But, none the less there are plenty of reasons for anyone to love this movie and I will do my best to point them out.

Well the plot of this "moving picture show" is as follows. Union Colonel John Henry Thomas, (played by John Wayne) and Confederate Colonel James Langdon, (played by Rock Hudson) are both on their way to Mexico. Thomas and his men are herding horses down to sell them to the Emperor of Mexico, Maximillian, and Langdon is taking his men down to gain military support from Maximllian for the rebuilding of the confederacy. Both parties with their differences come to find friendship and the trust in the other. Specifically John and James, learn to overlook their individual opinions and forgive each other for the hostilities due to the war that had before cast them as enemies.

This film like a lot of John Wayne's films, has a few actors that you may recognize from some of his other westerns. Such as Edward Faulkner, and Ben Johnson. If you have seen some of the other John Wayne westerns with these players, it will feel as if you're watching a new chapter to the previous story. But if you dont like John Wayne type westerns, then you most likely wont enjoy this one.

The humor in this film is typical of westerns, which is good considering its a western movie. Grown men getting into massive brawls and in the end not having any distasteful feelings for one another. Like a big football game made up of old buddies!

There is also a romance that takes place in this film, and that's interesting to watch play out. But that's mostly for the ladies in my opinion and not really needed but at the same time it helps to build your understanding of the time line in which this flick takes place in.

The dialogue from the actors in this film is always a big win for me, because it gives me new phrases to use in my daily talk. One such line being "I hope you're in heaven a half hour before the devil knows you're dead." Lines like that really make the movie for me, because that's just the sort of thing you'd expect a cowboy to say in the old west!

This one is a good one, but again its not a must see. 4 out of 5! I still love this movie, but that also comes from it being part of my childhood. John Wayne reminds me a lot of my grandfather who passed away when I was young, and also of my father because when I was younger we always watched his movies together.

Appaloosa (2008)

Here's a link to the movie trailer:"Appaloosa"

Ok, lets get to this western analysis shall we? Now simply put, this western is a very good one, especially for those of you who haven't seen many westerns and want to start watching them. This production is a good one to start off with considering it's a newer presentation to the genre.

Marshal Virgil Cole (played by Ed Harris) and his deputy Mr. Everett Hitch (played by Viggo Mortensen) are hired by the small town of Appaloosa, (hence the name of the film) to reinstate the order and law that once existed there. It seems that Mr. Bragg (played by Jeremy Irons) is not abiding by the bilaws set down by the town officials and is suspected to have been the reason behind the dissapearance of a certain Sherriff and his two deputies. Mr. Bragg and his men also do whatever they please in the town, going and taking whatever they want. "They buy their supplies in my store without paying!". So Virgil and Everett get straight to business as soon as they hear the news that some of Bragg's men are at the saloon causing some trouble. They find two of Bragg's men and tell them that they are going to jail. They resist arrest and try pulling on Cole, but Cole quickly shoots each of them down. And so the story ensues. Fast forward a bit we are introduced to a new character, a wandering petticoat who's name is Mrs. French (played by Renée Zellweger). Mr. Cole and Mrs. French become romantically involved, but that is unimportant. What is important is getting on with why you should watch this western.

For starters, my favorite thing about this movie is the relationship and dialogue between Virgil and Everett, even if you don't like watching westerns or you feel this western is just an ok addition to the genre you will still love this aspect of it. The second part that really stood out about Appaloosa was the gorgeous western scenery, as well as some of the props (an 8 gauge shotgun to be more specific). In one scene you see an old steam engine coming around the inside of a large rock formation with a mountain lion standing upon it. Now that's just brutally awesome in my personal opinion.

In all honesty, my favorite character in this movie was Mr. Hitch, not to say that Ed Harris did not do a good job with his acting, but Everett just made a big impact on me. He is considered by me to be more of the main character in this role play, an example would be how at the beginning and end of this film he is narrating his actions. It is more from his point of view. You get to see the film from where he stands. And the fact that he carries an 8 gauge shotgun is also another reason why I was such a fan of him (=D).

The one downfall of this film is the romance side of it. The personality of Mrs. French was a bothersome one, I couldn't seem to understand why Virgel a rough and tough officer of the law would be interested in having any sort of relationship with the type of woman she was portrayed as. So that may also annoy you, I know that is one reason my brother doesn't like this film as much as other ones he's seen. But I truly enjoyed this film aside from that little fact. Not only does it have a serious side dealing with the pride and duty of men like Mr. Cold and Mr. Hitch, but it also has good humor in it. The talk between the two souls can make you burst out laughing, and possilbly be misunderstood by any woman in the room with you. Woman just don't understand the ways of us gentleman, sigh.

Still this movie being one I truly like, I wouldn't say it is a must see western of all time. But more of a must see new western, contemplating the fact that there aren't as many new westerns are there are old ones. I give it a 4/5. Hope you enjoy it I know I did!

Here's the torrent download link: Appaloosa Torrent. (I hope it works for you, let me know if it doesn't I shall find another one that does)